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The race for the three available semi-final places in the MTN Domestic Championship went down to the wire with the Cape Cobras nabbing the final spot despite defeat against the Dolphins.The Cobras went down by 56 runs in Durban to hand the Dolphins a bonus point, but it wasn’t enough because of their inferior win record and the Cobras went through on the back of their six victories. The Cobras now play the Titans at Centurion Park while the other semi-final is between the Warriors and the Eagles.The crucial match of the final week came in Cape Town when the Cobras handed out the Titans’ only defeat of the round-robin stage. They recovered from 73 for 5 with an unbeaten stand of 124 between Andrew Puttick (87 not out) and Ryan Canning (64 not out).The Cobras had become the latest victim of an improving Zimbabwe team when they fell to a three-wicket defeat in Paarl where Regis Chakabva hit a match-winning 71. Zimbabwe finished the tournament on a strong note when they beat the Eagles by two wickets off the final ball in a thrilling encounter. Tatenda Taibu hit an unbeaten 98 and he managed to score 14 off the final over. The defeat meant the Eagles missed out on a home semi-final.The Warriors secured their home semi-final with a six-wicket against the Lions after playing their last five matches in eight days. The Lions ended a miserable tournament bottom of the table.

Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	N/R	Pts	Net RR	For	Against
Titans	12	9	1	1	1	44	+0.737	2071/415.4	1999/470.5
Warriors	12	6	5	1	0	28	-0.221	2116/499.5	2289/513.5
Eagles	12	6	6	0	0	27	+0.176	2401/499.0	2327/502.0
Cape Cobras	12	6	6	0	0	26	-0.043	2154/494.3	2157/490.2
Dolphins	12	5	6	0	1	26	+0.452	2017/456.3	1896/478.0
Zimbabwe	12	5	7	0	0	20	-0.225	2398/524.1	2364/492.3
Lions	12	3	9	0	0	12	-0.805	2271/524.2	2396/466.3

The ICC has flexed its muscles in the aftermath of John Howard’s offer to pay any fines levied as a result of Australia refusing to tour Zimbabwe.Howard, Australia’s prime minister, said last Friday that the government would pay any fine imposed by the ICC should Cricket Australia decide not to send a side to Zimbabwe later this year.On Monday, the ICC issued a blunt statement pointing out that the only reason for the board to refuse to tour would be “if there are circumstances likely to give rise to a serious risk of death or personal injury to the players and/or officials due to take part in the Tour concerned or in respect of which appropriate insurance is unavailable on reasonable terms, such circumstances constitute acceptable non-compliance.”It added that only a ban by the government on the tour would be acceptable, although that comment is made in the knowledge that outright bans on sides touring abroad is almost unknown in Australia.The ICC added that a fine of at least US$2 million could be imposed. It is possible that Zimbabwe Cricket could claim additional monies from Cricket Australia if it could prove extra losses as a result. Any fine would go straight into the coffers of the Zimbabwe board.The ICC statement only reiterates the position as already stated. Howard’s offer to pay any fine means that financial penalties by the ICC would not directly affect Australia, and it seems highly unlikely that any action such as a suspension could realistically be imposed on the No. 1 Test and ODI side.

Scorecard

Mohammad Akram has Stephen Adshead caught behind to start Gloucestershire’s final collapse © Getty Images

Six wickets from Mohammad Akram helped Surrey romp to a thumping innings-and-297-run victory over Gloucestershire at a sun-drenched Oval. Barring something remarkable, this game was only heading one way when play resumed today, but Surrey were clinical in disposing of a disappointing opposition.The early exchanges were all about Mark Ramprakash, who only added 16 to his overnight 276, but that was enough to enable him to post a career-best score. He made his intentions clear from the off, smacking Martyn Ball for six, before holed out to long-leg off the same bowler.Facing a massive deficit of 432, Gloucestershire needed to show more fight than they had on the first day. If anything, they were even more feeble.They reached 20 before Akram swung one in to trap Craig Spearman leg-before, and it was one-way traffic from then on in. Although Surrey did bowl well, some of the batsmen contributed to their own downfalls, none more than Matt Windows who perished to an ugly shot off James Benning.The last remnants of hope – and there still was a glimmer as heavy rain was forecast for tomorrow – disappeared immediately before lunch when Nayan Doshi had Chris Taylor caught behind for 0 and then Phil Weston, who had been dropped three times, well caught for 28 by a diving Mark Butcher at silly mid-off. At 45 for 4, that was that.Alex Gidman and Stephen Adshead frustrated Surrey for over an hour with a fifth-wicket stand of 71, but the return of Akram at the Vauxhall End brought a swift conclusion to proceedings as he took the last five wickets to finish with 6 for 34, his best figures for Surrey.

Brian Lara was in majestic touch as he brought up his second century of the series © Getty Images

Brian Lara has expressed his disappointment over his mode of dismissal despite producing a glorious 176 to lift West Indies to 292 for 7 on the first day of the third Test against South Africa in Barbados. Lara, who had engineered a fightback in the previous Test in Trinidad, motored to his 28th hundred after walking in at 12 for 2.”I’m more disappointed with the shot this afternoon than the [second innings] shot in Trinidad,” Lara was quoted as saying in The Nation. “Our plan after tea was not to lose a wicket, to end the day with at least two recognised batsmen out in the middle and we didn’t do that … . With four or five overs to go I should have played a better shot.”Lara, who arrived at the crease with West Indies reeling, was dismissed by Nel in the 87th over when he inside edged onto his stumps, followed by Dwayne Bravo – the only recognised batsmen left – and thereby gave South Africa the upper hand. “Someone needed to stay out there for the entire day,” Lara lamented. “As a batter, you can’t get a hundred every time you go out to the middle, but you can try. I laid the foundation, I tried to prepare myself for a proper innings today.”This is what I relish,” he said. “I relish the opportunity to go out there, assess the situation. It doesn’t matter if I’m not captain.” Lara, along with Shivnarine Chanderpaul, his captain, resurrected the innings with a 138-run partnership, and admitted that he also needed play a leader’s role. “I’m 35 years old, going to be 36 very soon. I am actually a leader in the team. I’ve got to try to show the way with the bat and in the field and anything that Shiv wants in terms of help, I’ve got to be able to assist him with it.”Speaking about his team’s game plan, Lara said that the bowlers should try and limit the South Africans to under three runs an over. “If we get in 100 overs and we can get them out within that period of time, they must not be in excess of 300 runs. That should be our aim.”

Pakistan 171 for 5 (Tariq 45*, Fawad 43*) beat India 169 (Uthappa 33, Qadir 2-27) by five wickets
Scorecard

Ali Imran celebrates a wicket in the crunch game © Getty Images

Fawad Alam held his nerve when Pakistan were in a precarious position and his decisive partnership with Tariq Mahmood propelled them into the final of the Under-19 World Cup in Dhaka. India had their batsmen to blame, who could muster only 169 in the face of some very disciplined bowling. Yet India’s bowlers did their bit by picking up early wickets, but the undefeated 88-run partnership between Fawad and Tariq was an ideal lesson in pacing a run-chase.Fawad and Tariq came together with the score on 83 for 5. Abhishek Sharma was fizzing his legbreaks and Rudra Pratap Singh was zeroing in on the corridor. Scurrying between the wickets, deftly gliding and nudging, they slowly uncorked the pressure valve. And when the target looked within striking range, they did just that. Out came the ballistics and the ball soared like a rocket in all directions.India needed an exceptional effort if they were to have any hope of defending 169. But Gaurav Dhiman and Rudra Pratap Singh provided them with an ideal start – Dhiman swung the ball both ways and generated some alarming seam movement. He struck in his second over, when Khalid Latif (1) missed a straight ball that pitched on leg stump, deviated towards middle and trapped him right in front (3 for 1). Jahangir Mirza (9) was undone by a swinging yorker, from Rudra Pratap, that crashed into his boots (20 for 2).But Adnan Zaheer made sure that the scoreboard kept ticking along with some confident shots and he wasn’t prepared to let any bowler settle into his rhythm. He added 28 with Usman Saeed, and while Zaheer was completely in control, the other looked very uncertain in his 63-ball stay. Ironically it was Zaheer who fell first, as a thick edge lobbed up to short third man (48 for 3). Zaheer made 18.Salman Qadir, although flummoxed by some zipping legbreaks from Sharma, cashed in on the loose deliveries and kept the asking-rate well in control. Usman (19) tried to break the shackles by cutting a straight ball from Sharma and predictably lost his off stump (68 for 4). Qadir (24) showed a few powerful shots, before he tamely prodded at one from Rudra Pratap. Dinesh Kartik, who was captaining the side in the absence of the suspended Ambati Rayudu, completed the simple chance and Pakistan were hobbling at 83 for 5. Over to Fawad and Tariq.Apart from the brief moment when Kartik called the coin right, India had a poor first session. The Pakistan’s bowlers showed exceptional skill and control and tightened the noose from the first ball. They were also helped by some poor shot selection and weak nerves.Shikhar Dhawan took strike with 497 runs to his name already at a Bradmanesque average of 99.4. But today he learnt that even Eric Hollies can have his day. Dhawan (8) miscued a pull off Ali Imran and found Latif at mid-on (23 for 1). Just one run later Praful Waghela was back in the hutch for a first-ball duck, trapped in front of the stumps by Riaz Afridi (24 for 2).Robin Uthappa didn’t take any undue risks and held his end up well, but Rakesh Solanki (21) soon became the next casualty, run out after he played the ball straight into the hands of short third-man and set off for a nonexistent single (73 for 3).Uthappa departed soon after when he flicked Qadir uppishly to square leg. He made 33 with 3 boundaries. Karthik got out in similar fashion and Suresh Raina was soon out in a freakish manner. He played an extravagant pull off Tariq only to inside-edge the ball towards the keeper. Zulqarnain Haider fumbled the ball, but it lodged in his pad and he was able to claim the catch (113 for 6). Qadir, who is the son of the legendary legspinner Abdul Qadir, ended with 2 for 27 from 10 overs of high quality offspin.But, the best passage of play came in the 39th over. Mansoor, bowling his legspin with phenomenal control, tempted Sunny Singh into a big drive. The third ball of the over was dispatched to the boundary – the first in 114 balls -and a hint of a smile spread across Sunny’s face. Two balls later, he had the look of a man who’d seen a ghost. A perfectly flighted delivery enticed him forward. The ball ducked in at the last moment, a googly, turned in just enough to beat the bat and clipped the top of the off stump. It’s hard to imagine how any legspinner could have bowled that ball better.The fast bowlers then cleaned up the tail with minimum fuss and India folded for a meagre total. India’s opening bowlers gave them a chance, but they were left as clueless as Sunny was, when the two unbeaten Pakistan batsmen began to turn it on.

MELBOURNE, Jan 20 AAP – Australia could regain leg-spinner Shane Warne for Thursday’s first one-day cricket final against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).Warne reported he pulled up well from bowling for Victoria in yesterday’s match against Tasmania.National team physiotherapist Errol Alcott will examine Warne’s right bowling shoulder tomorrow.Alcott said provided there were no unexpected problems, he could clear Warne for national selection.”I’ve seen Shane today and he says his shoulder is excellent, he says he `fizzed’ a couple (of deliveries) yesterday and he’s very happy,” Alcott said.”I will `put him on the hoist’ tomorrow and examine him….he could be available as early as this week.”It (Warne’s rehabilitation) has gone as well as anticipated – I’m just happy he’s come along.”Warne dislocated the shoulder on December 15 in a fielding accident during a one-dayer against England at the MCG.He had exploratory surgery the following day, which revealed no secondary damage to the joint, and Warne made his cricket comeback 10 days ago in a one-dayer pitting his team Victoria against Western Australia at the same ground.His return, providing there are no setbacks, will be a massive boost to Australia’s World Cup chances.Alcott added Jason Gillespie, out with an elbow injury, had been “pencilled in” to play for South Australia in its January 26 one-dayer against Tasmania.Gillespie continued his rehabilitation here today with the national team, which will play Sri Lanka at the MCG tomorrow night in the last of the preliminary matches of the tri series.Alcott will also reassess paceman Glenn McGrath (back) on Wednesday when the Australians go to Sydney to prepare for the best-of-three finals against England.But fellow paceman Andy Bichel is in doubt for tomorrow’s dead rubber with a shoulder injury.The weekend’s results in Adelaide ensured England would play Australia in the finals regardless of tomorrow’s result.Australia denied deliberately batting slowly in yesterday’s win over England to ensure it would not play Sri Lanka in the finals.Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya said he could not criticise Australia after his team lost to England on Friday night.”If we won the other night, it’s a different story,” Jayasuriya said.”We lost the other night, we can’t blame anybody.”A Sri Lankan team spokesman said a squad would be picked later tonight, but Muttiah Muralitharan (thigh) would not be available.Australia will regain captain Ricky Ponting and opener Matthew Hayden, who were rested at the weekend.AUSTRALIA (from): Ponting (capt), Michael Bevan, Andy Bichel, Nathan Bracken, Adam Gilchrist, Hayden, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Jimmy Maher, Damien Martyn, Andrew Symonds, Shane Watson, Brad Williams.SRI LANKA (from): Sanath Jayasuriya (capt), Russel Arnold, Marvan Atapattu, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Aravinda de Silva, Buddhika Fernando, Dilhara Fernando, Chamila Gamage, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Chaminda Vaas.

Good knocks from Vinit Saxena and Rahul Kanwat helped Rajasthan to285/3 on the third day of their Central Zone Ranji Trophy league tieagainst Madhya Pradesh at Gwalior. The first innings lead is stillhanging very much in the balance but Rajasthan should fancy themselvessince they trail by just 123 with seven wickets in hand.Resuming at 57 without loss, the visitors lost an early wicket whenNational Cricket Academy product Anshu Jain was bowled by SanjayPandey for 21 in the third over of the day. Kanwat now joined Saxenaand the two held a fairly decent Madhya Pradesh attack, including legspinner Narendra Hirwani, left arm spinner Sunil Lahore and pacemanHarvinder Sodhi, at bay for the next four and a quarter hours.With the partnership worth 154, Kanwat was held by Nikhil Patwardhanoff Abbas Ali for 81 (136 balls, 8 fours). Saxena’s patient vigilended at 256 when he offered a catch to the same fieldsman to givePandey his second wicket. The opener fell nine runs short of hiscentury. His 302 balls fetched just four boundaries. Skipper GaganKhoda (31), batting down the order, and PK Krishnakumar (15) tookRajasthan safely through to stumps.

A big Newcastle United injury update has emerged on Joe Willock ahead of the club’s clash with Everton… 

What’s the latest?

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has confirmed that the former Arsenal gem will be in contention to feature in the Premier League tonight.

The Magpies have a chance to pile the pressure on the Toffees whilst pushing themselves further away from the pack of clubs fighting for survival at the bottom and Willock looks set to be involved.

He was absent from the 1-0 defeat to Chelsea at the weekend as Eddie Howe went with a 5-4-1 formation and Kai Havertz scored the only goal of the game.

Downie Tweeted: “Joe Willock is back for Newcastle at Everton tomorrow following illness.”

Buzzing

This update will surely leave the St. James’ Park faithful buzzing as Willock can slot back into the midfield and allow the head coach to go back with a 4-3-3 formation.

Whilst the caveat is that they played the Champions of Europe, Newcastle only managed two shots on target and had 27% of the ball against Chelsea. The 5-4-1 was a predictably defensive set-up with the goal of keeping the Blues out for as long as possible, but a match against Everton – who are 17th and have lost their last four games – should see them act on the front foot.

This means that switching back to a 4-3-3 to offer more of a balance between defence and attack – given the added numbers up top – is the way Howe should go and Willock’s availability means that he can do that.

Sean Longstaff and Bruno Guimaraes were his only natural central midfield options at Stamford Bridge, with Willock, Joelinton and Jonjo Shelvey out, but he can now slot last summer’s big-money signing in alongside the pair tonight.

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Supporters will also be delighted because the 22-year-old has been in impressive form of late and will provide a big lift to the team. He has scored two goals in his last four Premier League outings as he found the back of the net against West Ham and Brentford in consecutive away matches.

Willock has also averaged 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game in the top-flight this term. This shows that he offers plenty of endeavour defensively to go along with the goal threat that he has recently been providing and his return will be a major boost. Therefore, the fans will be buzzing to see him back in action, potentially from the start, against Everton tonight.

AND in other news, Howe must unleash “breathtaking” £93k-pw NUFC gem today, he “will reach” a Ballon d’Or…

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

	Dale Steyn led the South African charge as Bangladesh faced the prospect of an innings defeat in Chittagong © Getty Images

Bangladesh fought bravely in the first half of the day but were then swept away by a tidal wave of South African pace, and a clever little spell of left-arm spin from Robin Peterson. Having been asked to follow on 324 runs behind, and with Aftab Ahmed in hospital under observation, Bangladesh slid inexorably towards defeat as the evening shadows lengthened, finishing the day on 54 for 5.A positive start was essential for Bangladesh at the second time of asking but once again, Dale Steyn’s pace was a huge stumbling block. Junaid Siddique, who had batted so well in the second innings in Mirpur, went without scoring, hanging his bat out at one, and with Tamim Iqbal marooned on 0 for 28 balls, it was left to Shahriar Nafees to pick off some runs.Nafees had anchored the first innings with a solid 69, but he once again flirted with danger in the quest for runs. There was once classy pull for four, but several of his boundaries came either off the outside edge or the glove as South Africa’s bowlers persisted with a barrage of short-pitched deliveries.The breakthrough though came courtesy spin. Tamim had already been dropped by Kallis at slip earlier, but a needless heave after a sashay down the pitch only found the man at mid-on. Three balls later, Peterson landed one in the rough and a squared-up Nafees could only edge to slip. This time, Kallis made no mistake.The last act was left to Steyn. Mohammad Ashraful was softened up by bouncers, and a delivery that lifted outside off stump was poked through to Mark Boucher. Soon after, Shakib Al Hasan got into an awful tangle, and could only fend one off the glove to forward short leg. Bangladesh were reeling, and the offer of light from the umpires only served to delay the inevitable till the fourth morning.It hadn’t always been such one-way traffic. In the morning, Nafees had chiselled out a fine innings and enjoyed significant partnerships with Abdur Razzak, the nightwatchman, and Aftab, before Shakib took over the mantle after lunch. His departure just before tea, significantly impacted Bangladesh’s hopes of saving the Test, as did the nasty injury to Aftab.Graeme Smith’s lucky charm turned out to be Makhaya Ntini, who returned just before the interval to have both Shakib and Mushfiqur Rahim caught behind. Shakib had struggled at times against the short ball, but was otherwise composed, striking some lovely fours down the ground and through midwicket. But when he tried to cut one that was too close to him, Boucherhad an easy catch to take.Ntini bowled round the wicket for that dismissal, but minutes earlier, he had struck with his traditional weapon, the ball that angles back in to the right-hander. Mushfiqur got the edge, and Ntini went past Allan Donald (330 wickets) on South Africa’s all-time list.South Africa had reason to rue some uncharacteristically sloppy fielding too. Shakib was dropped when he had yet to score, with Johan Botha putting down a low chance at gully off Steyn. Another edge from Mushfiqur evaded Smith at first slip, and South Africa were left to celebrate only the one wicket in the first hour after lunch.

	Aftab Ahmed was stretchered off after he top-edged a delivery from Jacques Kallis into his face © Getty Images

That came in the very first over, with Nafees edging Steyn to Smith to end his morning of defiance. Soon after, Bangladesh’s innings was in further trouble, with Aftab top-edging a Kallis delivery into his face – ball just squeezing between helmet peak and grille. He was stretchered off it was left to Shakib and Mushfiqur to resurrect the innings.The morning had belonged to Bangladesh, with Nafees wresting the initiative, and Razzak providing sterling support. Steyn and Ntini tested both men with the short stuff, and searing pace in the case of Steyn. There were a couple of streaky strokes down to third man, but the initial stages were characterised more by defence. Steve Bucknor expressed his unhappiness at Steyn running on the pitch, but otherwise, there was little to talk about.That changed once the batsmen grew in confidence. Nafees started to cut and pull with power and precision, and with Ntini and Mornè Morkel below par, the runs started to mount. And when Hashim Amla wore a sweep from Nafees on his ankle, Smith’s worries merely increased.The wicket, when it came, arrived from an unlikely source. Peterson had been tidy rather than threatening, but after Razzak slogged one over midwicket, the encore flew off the top edge to point. Aftab might have gone early, but the bat-up-like-periscope response to a Morkel bouncer fetched him four to third man instead.With Nafees playing some gorgeous drives off the expensive Morkel, the fifth-wicket partnership reached 50 at almost five an over, and it was Bangladesh that went to lunch the happier. But Ntini’s dramatic four-wicket intervention either side of tea being brewed was decisive, and South Africa were always on course thereafter to tie up another crushing victory. Barring rain, it should come on the fourth morning.

Sachin Tendulkar will be seen in action in India’s first Twenty20 tournament © AFP

The business end of the all-India Inter-State Twenty20 cricket tournament kicks off in Ahmedabad and Mumbai from April 15 with a host of national players set to participate. The Mumbai leg of the matches will be shared between the Wankhede Stadium and the Brabourne Stadium while Motera will host the Ahmedabad games.Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan will turn out for their respective state sides and their presence is expected to infuse much-needed spectator interest in the aftermath of India’s early exit from the World Cup in West Indies. In addition, several young players on the fringes of national selection will also get a chance to impress. The tournament should serve as a selection trial for the national selectors when they sit down on April 20 to pick the squad for the tour of Bangladesh beginning next month. The tournament runs till April 21, with two matches scheduled daily in the group stages.All ten qualifying teams have been divided into two groups of five each. Mumbai will host all Group A matches while all Group B games will be held in Ahmedabad. The Brabourne Stadium, which hosted a few Champions Trophy games last year, will host the final on April 21. The day games are scheduled to start at 09.30 local time while the evening games, under lights, will begin at 6.30 PM.Jharkhand and Delhi failed to qualify, which means that the big-hitters in Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virender Sehwag will not be seen in action. It took a while for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to embrace Twenty20 after several Test nations included it in their domestic fixtures. The upcoming Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa in September may have been the catalyst for the BCCI to slot a tournament of this format in an already crowded domestic schedule.Incidentally, India were the last Test nation to make their debut in a Twenty20 International, during the tour of South Africa last year. India beat South Africa by six wickets in a closely-fought game at Johannesburg, proving that Twenty20 is here to stay as far as India is concerned.